221、⑿做爱的决定在于丈夫的美意。这是因为，男人拥有前面所描述的性能力；这性能力因其心智，以及身体的状态而各异。因为理解在其思维中不像意愿在其情感中那样恒定不变。事实上，理解忽上忽下；时而处于平静、清晰的状态，时而处于混乱、模糊的状态；时而转向惬意的思维，时而转向不惬意的思维。当心智在行动时，它也表现在身体上，故可知，身体会经历同样的状态。这就是为何丈夫时而远离婚姻之爱，时而靠近婚姻之爱，以致他的性能力在这种状态下消退，在那种状态下恢复。这些就是为何做爱的决定必在于丈夫美意的原因。正因如此，妻子们出于其与生俱来的智慧，从不在这类问题上给出任何建议。
221、（12）丈夫拥有性活动的主动权。
这是因为上节中所讲的性能力是与男性相联系的。这又因为男人头脑及身体的状况而不同。因为思想和情感是变化的，有时是上升的，有时下降的，有时处于严肃清晰状态，有时处于不安和混乱状态，有时高兴，有时不高兴。因为头脑的活动与身体一样。身体也会经历以上各种状态。这样的结果就是，有时丈夫会从婚姻之爱中走开，有时会走向婚姻之爱，有时他会处于低潮，有时也会重新恢复。
这就是性主动权在于男人的原因，明智的妻子从不会在这方面计较。
221. (xii) Decisions [about making love] 1must be left for the husband to make as he pleases.
This is because men have the potency described above, and this varies depending on the state of their minds as well as that of their bodies. For the intellect is not constant in its thoughts, as the will is constant in its affections. The intellect is carried along, now up, now down, now in a calm and clear state, now in a turbulent and dim one, now directed to welcome thoughts, now to unwelcome ones. Since, when the mind is acting, it is also present in the body, it follows that the body undergoes similar states. This is why a husband at one time recedes from conjugial love, at another approaches close to it, so that in one state his potency is taken away, and in the other it is restored. These are the reasons why decisions must be left to the husband's pleasure; and this is why wives are guided by their innate wisdom never to give any instructions on such matters.
Footnotes:
1. 221 shows that this is what is meant.
221. 12. Determinations to intercourse are at the good pleasure of the husband. The reason is that the sexual abundance referred to above is something that lies with men, and this varies in them in accordance with both their state of mind and the condition of their body. For the intellect is not as constant in its thoughts as the will is in its affections. Indeed, it is carried upward one moment and downward the next, being sometimes in a state of serenity and clarity, sometimes in a state of turmoil and confusion, at times engaged in pleasant subjects, at other times caught up in unpleasant ones. And because the mind in its workings is at the same time in the body, it follows that the body undergoes similar states. As a result, the husband sometimes draws away from conjugial love, sometimes toward it, and in the one state the abundance he has is withdrawn and in the other state restored.
For these reasons, determinations to intercourse must be left to the good pleasure of the husband. That is why wives, from the wisdom innate in them, never admonish their husbands in regard to these matters.
221. 12. Making love is at the husband's discretion. This is because men have the sexual ability mentioned above, and it varies for them according to their state of mind and the condition of their bodies. Intellect is not steady in its thoughts in the way that will is in its feelings. Intellect is sometimes carried up, sometimes down.
Sometimes it is in a peaceful and clear state, sometimes in a turbulent and dark one, sometimes involved in pleasant subjects, sometimes in unpleasant ones. Since an active mind is also in a body, the body experiences similar states. This is why a husband draws back from marital love sometimes and sometimes goes after it, and it is why his potency goes away in one state and comes back in the other. These are the reasons why the husband decides when to make love. This is why wives, from the inherent wisdom that they have, never press anything like that.
221. XII. THAT DETERMINATIONS ARE AT THE GOOD PLEASURE OF THE HUSBAND. The reason is because men have the aforesaid abundance, and this varies with them according to the state of their mind and also according to the state of their body. The understanding is not so constant in its thoughts as the will is in its affections; for it is carried now up, now down; is now in a state serene and clear, now in a state disturbed and obscure; now engaged in agreeable subjects, now in disagreeable. And because when the mind acts it is also in the body, it follows that the body has similar states. Hence it is that the husband now recedes from conjugial love, now approaches it; and that in the one state abundance is withdrawn, and in the other it is restored. These are the reasons why determinations are to be left to the good pleasure of the husband. Hence it is that, from the wisdom implanted in them, wives never suggest anything with respect to such matters.
221. (xii) Determinations are at the husband's good pleasure. The reason is that the aforementioned ability is with husbands and also varies with them according to both the mental state and the bodily condition. The understanding is not so constant in its thoughts as the will is in its affections. It is carried up and then down; now it is serene and clear, then troubled and obscure; now it is on pleasing subjects and then on unpleasing. And because the mind, when it acts, is also in the body, the body has like states. Hence it is that now the husband recedes from marital love, and now inclines to it, and ability is withdrawn from him in the one state, and restored in the other. For these reasons, then, determinations are to be left to the husband's good pleasure. Hence it is that, from a wisdom implanted in them, wives never give reminders of such things.
221. (12) That determinations are at the good pleasure of the husband. The reason is that men have the aforesaid ability, and this varies with them both according to the state of their mind and according to the state of their body. For the understanding is not so constant in its thoughts as the will is in its affections; for it is carried now up, now down, is now in a state serene and clear, now in a disturbed and obscure state, now is among pleasant subjects, now among unpleasant. And as the mind when it is active is in the body also, it follows that this has similar states. Hence it is that the husband now draws away from conjugial love, now approaches it; and that in the one state his ability, is withdrawn, in the other it is restored. These are reasons why determinations must be left to the good pleasure of the husband. Hence it is that wives, from wisdom inherent in them, never put their husbands in mind of any such things.
221. XII: Quod determinationes sint in beneplacitis mariti; causa est, quia apud viros est supradicta copia, et haec variatur apud illos tam secundum status mentis, quam secundum status corporis illorum; Intellectus 1enim non ita constans est in suis cogitationibus, sicut est Voluntas in suis affectionibus; ille enim nunc fertur sursum nunc deorsum, nunc in statu sereno et claro est, nunc in turbulento et obscuro, nunc in objectis gratis nunc in ingratis; et quia mens, dum agit, etiam est in corpore, sequitur quod huic similes status sint: inde est, quod maritus nunc recedat ab amore conjugiali, nunc accedat ad illum, et quod copia in uno statu abstrahatur, et in altero restauretur: hae causae sunt, quod determinationes relinquendae sint beneplacitis mariti; inde est, quod uxores, ex insita illis sapientia, nusquam aliquid admoneant de talibus.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: Jntellectus